Emory Scott Land (January 9, 1879 – November 27, 1971) was an officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

, noted for his contributions to naval architecture, particularly in

submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

design. Notable assignments included serving as Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair during the 1930s, and as Chairman of the U.S.

Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The c ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Early life and education

From

Cañon City, Colorado Cañon City ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The city p ...

, Land graduated from the

University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming (UW) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming, United States. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, ...

with an A.B. degree in 1898. He then entered the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

, graduating on May 21, 1902. Though only 135 to 140 pounds, he played football as a halfback for four years in Laramie and four years at Annapolis. In 1900, he scored the game-winning touchdown in the Army-Navy game after recovering a blocked kick. Following two years of sea duty, he became a naval architect specializing in

construction. In 1907, Land earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wyoming and an M.S. degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

. In June 1939, he returned to the University of Wyoming to receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. On April 15, 1909, Land married Elizabeth Catharine Stiles in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. In her honor, Admiral Land created the Betty Styles Land Memorial Fund to finance the Ships Literary Club, known as “the public library of the seas,” which provided free books for merchant seamen.

Career

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he served on the Board of Devices and Plans connected with Submarines in Warfare, the Board of Standardization of Submarines, and the staff of Admiral William S. Sims, who commanded all U.S. naval forces in European waters. Land played a key role in the design of the S-class submarines from 1917 to 1919, the

's first attempt to build a submarine capable of operating with the battle fleet. Land was vice chairman of the Navy's postwar

V-boat The V-boats were a group of nine United States Navy submarines built between World War I and World War II from 1921 to 1934 under authorization as the "fleet boat" program. The term "V-boats" as used includes five separate classes of submarines ...

Plans Committee in 1920. He was awarded the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

for his work on submarine design and construction and for work in the war zone.

Interwar years and World War II

In July 1922, Land qualified as a naval aviation observer in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

. In January 1923, he was promoted to captain. Land subsequently earned a private pilot's license at the age of 49. His interest in aviation was partly spurred by his wife's cousin

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

. He served as assistant chief of the Navy

Bureau of Aeronautics The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and rela ...

for about two years and then on extended leave as vice president and treasurer of the

Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics The Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics was established by Daniel Guggenheim and his son, Harry Guggenheim on June 16, 1926. Between 1926 and 1930 the fund disbursed $3 million, making grants that established schools or resear ...

for over a year until 1930. From October 1, 1932, until April 1, 1937, Land was Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair. In this position, he played a major role in submarine development leading to the highly successful fleet boats of

. Land retired as a rear admiral in 1937, but on February 18, 1938, he became Chairman of the U.S.

, overseeing the design and construction of the more than 4,000

Liberty ship Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...

s and

Victory ship The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by American shipyards during World War II. They were a more modern design compared to the earlier Liberty ship, were slightly larger and had more powerful steam turbine engin ...

s that flew the U.S. flag during

. Land concurrently served as Administrator of the

War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime C ...

(WSA), established by Executive Order 9054 on February 7, 1942. Thus Land exercised authority over both construction and allocation of non-combatant maritime assets to Army, Navy and commerce. In July 1944, he was advanced to vice admiral on the retired list by a special act of Congress. Land was also instrumental in overseeing the establishment of the

United States Merchant Marine Academy The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA or Kings Point) is a United States service academies, United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains its midshipman, midshipmen (as students at the academy are called) to serv ...

, located in Kings Point, New York as a commissioning source for officers entering the Merchant Marine and Naval Reserve in World War II. Land Hall, located at the Academy, is named in his honor.

Post-war activities

On January 15, 1946, Land resigned as Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission. For his outstanding services he was rewarded with both the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...

and the

Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to Sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorio ...

by the War Department.

Later life and death

Land served as President of the Air Transport Association of America from 1946 to 1957 and worked as a consultant for General Dynamics Corporation until his death in November 1971 at age 92. He lived in Washington, D.C., and continued to walk several miles daily, but died at the Naval Hospital in

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Located just northwest of Washington, D.C., it is a major business and government center of the Washington metropolitan region ...

. Land was buried beside his wife at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

, in

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...

Awards and decorations

Land's personal decorations include: *

* Spanish Campaign Medal * World War I Victory Medal with Submarine Clasp *

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a United States service medals of the World Wars, military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recogniz ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had per ...

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. Histo ...

* Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 1921 * Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) 1945 *

Commander of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

1947 * Grand Officer Second Class Polonia Restituta presented by Polish Government in Exile *

Philippine Legion of Honor The Philippine Legion of Honor (; ) was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honour, Honor was patterned after the Legion of Merit of the United States of Amer ...

* Honorary Doctor of Laws * Honorary Graduate of the

Legacy

* The

submarine tender A submarine tender, in British English a submarine depot ship, is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines. Development Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally cannot carry large amounts of foo ...

is named for him. * His uniform is on display aboard the SS ''American Victory''.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Land, Emory 1879 births 1971 deaths People from Cañon City, Colorado American football halfbacks University of Wyoming alumni United States Naval Academy alumni Military personnel from Colorado American naval architects MIT School of Engineering alumni United States Navy personnel of World War I Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) United States Navy World War II admirals United States Merchant Marine Academy alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Honorary commanders of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Order of Polonia Restituta United States Navy admirals Military personnel from Washington, D.C. Burials at Arlington National Cemetery